Closer and closer....

Well after much excitement and changes of plans and updated routes, here is the current plan for India.

 29 Oct travel to Auckland with my friend Dave. Stay overnight with him.

30 Oct Fly out of Auckland leaving 3:15pm (good time to leave!)

31 Oct Arrive Chandigarh via Singapore and Delhi. around 32 hours after leaving Auckland. From there I take a tuktuk (they are pink in Chandigarh!) to the bus stop and then a bus to Aura Pottery where I am staying for 8 weeks.

Tuktuk in Chandigarh

28 Dec Leave Aura Pottery and make my way back to Chandigarh where I catch the first of my trains, the Paschim Express to Delhi. A 5 hour trip arriving in Delhi at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Paschim Express

29 Dec Full day trip to Agra to see the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. Around a 12 hour trip.

Taj Mahal & Agra Fort

30 Dec A day of exploring Delhi food stalls and excitements, especially Jama Masjid and Bazaar Matia Mahal before catching the next train at 5:00pm for Kolkata 17 hours away.

31 Dec to 1 Jan Spending New Years in Kolkata. Hoping to get to the Terreti Morning Market for breakfast and the SIr Stuart Hogg Market, commonly know as the New Market also take a walk across the Howrah Bridge, which is one of the world’s busiest pedestrian bridges. 

Sir Stuart Hogg Market

Howrah Bridge

1 Jan 2020! Leave Kolkata 4:30pm for Chennai Beach on the Coromandel Express train for 24 hours and 25 mins.

Coromandel Express

Pause here for a history/geography lesson.

The Coromandel Peninsula was named after HMS Coromandel (originally named HMS Malabar), a ship of the British Royal Navy that stopped at Coromandel Harbour in 1820 to purchase kauri spars. The ship was named for India's Coromandel Coast.

The Coromandel Coast is the southeastern coast region of the Indian subcontinent, bounded by the Utkal Plains to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Kaveri delta to the south, and the Eastern Ghats to the west, extending over an area of about 22,800 square kilometres. Its definition can also include the northwestern coast of the island of Sri Lanka.

Coromandel Coast

Back to the story....

Again foody stuff and sight seeing in Chennai Beach for two days, looking forward to the Sowcarpet Market! Specialising in North India cuisine. 

Sowcarpet Market

Jan 4, depart Chennai for Mumbai on the Chennai Express for 25 hours 15 mins arriving Mumbai at 6am.
Meeting up with an ex student of mine from my teaching days at Natcoll while I am in Mumbai. As well as foody and sight seeing stuff. Will try to get to Chowpatty Beach, which is famous for its bazaars and fast food and snacks such as Bhel Puri, Paav Bhaj

Chowpatty Beach

7 Jan depart Mumbai for Ahmedabad another 7 hours on the Vivik Express.
One night in Ahmedabad before heading to the Vipassana Centre for a 10 day silent meditation retreat. Will probably need it after all of the above!

Dhamma Pitha Vipassana Centre

20 Jan depart Ahmedabad for Bikaner, only 6 hrs on the train this time.
Bikaner is famous for the Karni Mata Temple which is home to many rats considered sacred by Hindu devotees. It is also famous for its sweets and snacks. So more food!

Karni Mata Temple

23 Jan depart Bikaner for Bathinda after 6 hours on the train. I have arranged to meet the family of a friend (Amritpal) I met at Port Jackson, in Bathinda. He has promised me some awesome home cooking while I stay with them. As I mentioned in the previous blog post my time in Bathinda is timed to coincide with the Vasant Panchami festival. Amritpal is heading home for 4 weeks to be home for the festival so will catch up with him at his home. He hasn't been home in 2 years.

Bathinda

3 Feb I get on a ......BUS! Heading back to Chandigarh to finish off my journey around India. A 4 hour trip in an airconditioned Mercedes bus.

Trip map

One night back in Chandigarh then fly to Singapore via Delhi. Short stop over in Delhi but 16 hours in Singapore so have decided to head out to ride some roller coasters at Universal Studios. 

Train trip again!

After that I should have time for some food exploration in Singapore.... flight doesn't leave til 10:25pm.

So then arriving back in Aotearoa on Feb 6th at 1:20pm all being equal!

Starting to load books, music and movies and TV series onto the iPad as well as maps and travel tips, copies of important documents and other stuff!

It will be fascinating to compare my pictures with the ones I have shown here! Thanks to Mr Google.